


Fisheye

by EllePellano



Category: Christian Bible, Folklore - Fandom, Little Red Riding Hood - All Media Types, The Little Mermaid - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, Folklore, Little Mermaid Elements, Red Riding Hood Elements, Revisionist Fairy Tale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26317924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllePellano/pseuds/EllePellano
Summary: Famous fairy tales, folklores, bible stories, and pop culture themes told from a different angle:A woman with recurring nightmares about the sea finds herself being lured to it while on vacation with her fiance.A man reveals the secret of his transformation under the full moon.A woman finds a new planet in one of her trips out of Earth, and discovers something from her visit.Noah Finke was one unlucky guy who thought his whole world had ended until he met the charismatic heavy metal band vocalist, Emmanuel Khan.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	1. The Sea

**Author's Note:**

> First appeared in Wordpress https://lightbulbstories.wordpress.com/

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A woman with recurring nightmares about the sea finds herself being lured to it while on vacation with her fiance

I hated the sea.

It was haunting my dreams every night. Sometimes it was dark and silent like a dead river. Sometimes it was bright and furious like a spreading forest fire.

In each dream, I died.

My fiance knew about my unpleasant feelings towards the sea but he dismissed it as a result of a childhood trauma. Eric had been doing his best to help me overcome my fear. After all, he loved sailing and it was so unfortunate that his wife-to-be could not share his passion. He had been trying to persuade me to join him in one of his little expeditions after he had acquired a fancy white yacht. It had to take two years and a diamond engagement ring before he could finally convinced me.

On that day, I held on to the railings of the yacht as hard as I held on to Eric's promise that it would be a smooth sailing. The wind was relatively strong but the sky was clear and the sun was hot. There's nothing to worry about, he assured me because the weather was fine and he had the best crew in his employ. I managed to let out a smile but I was uncomfortable when we left the port. Being in the water again brought back the memories.

My parents and I were on an island hopping tour when I was eight. Having lived in the city for as far as my young self could remember, the sea presented itself as something new and enigmatic. I felt refreshed as I let my face be sprayed by the waves that splashed against our boat. The dark blue water had an alluring effect on me that I could not help but peer over it from the side. It was an extraordinary day for a young adventurer like me and it became more out of the ordinary when I heard a chorus of voices beneath the waves.

_Come back._

They came from the water like a whisper. I wanted to hear the voices once more so I went too close on the edge of the boat. It was probably the stupidest thing I did in my entire childhood life. I lost my balance and fell off. The splash of a skinny eight-year old child went unnoticed until they were already about ten meters away. I waited for the motorboat to turn around to fetch me. As I floated around on a life vest, I felt something cold and slippery swim past me. It bumped my legs several times as if we were playing a game of tag. Then a set of razor teeth opened into a smile. I heard my mother shrieked from a far.

The last thing that I remembered were several pairs of arms wrapping around my waist and the words, "We have missed you."

My mother praised me for being brave even though all I did was faint. They said that the shark had simply swam away when the motorboat was near. They said that maybe it was only curious just like me.

The dreams began after this.

Eric asked me if I was alright. I nodded. It was a lie. I did not want him to think that I regretted my decision to come with him. He squeezed my hand and excused himself to talk with the captain. I watched their discussion from afar and I could sense that the captain was troubled. He had the right to be for dark heavy clouds began to form above us. In a few minutes, the waves grew angry and began slapping our yacht like a jilted lover.

Then I heard those voices again.

_Come back…_

I looked over the edge of the yacht and I saw them — a group of beautiful women floating in the water.

_My sisters…_

I heard myself say.

 _Father has lifted your curse for running away with a mortal._ _We came to fetch you while you were still on your little human shell before you meet the mortal again. However, you did not recognize us. Please come home little sister._

The eldest of the group pleaded with her eyes. I looked at her and thought of a pink coral castle under the sea. There were no windows or doors so sea creatures that fit could come and go as they please. I shared a big room with my sisters but I had a secret room full of trinkets and treasures that came from shipwrecks.

"What if I don't?" I said out loud.

_Then he will put an even worse curse on you. You will live and die many times just like any mortal soul but you will not be given another chance to break out of the cycle and return to your original being. You will meet your lover but you will be alone in each lifetime for he will always die before you. He will always die young. You will never be with that man for too long._

The wind howled and the sky grumbled. Raindrops began to hit my face. Eric had often shared with me how he wanted to explore the world and do more things in this lifetime. He wanted to prove to his parents that he was more than a rich couple's son. I personally don't think he had anything to prove at all after having worked his way through a shipping company and eventually becoming the chief executive officer at such a young age. I think that more than anything else, he was doing everything to stand on his own feet so that his family could accept our relationship. He said to them that I was his inspiration for being independent after all. Our soon-to-be wedding was strongly opposed and I knew that no matter what I do, I wouldn't become part of his family. I decided that this was the best thing for us.

As I climbed over the edge, I thought of Eric again and his love for life, his aspirations and dreams.

"What are you doing?" He shouted from behind me. He couldn't barely stand because the waves were violently rocking the boat. I looked at him for one last time and jumped.

_You must die as a human to turn back into what you were before._

Two of my sisters grabbed my hands and and pulled me downwards. My lungs were filling up with water and there was a burning sensation in my legs that were no longer kicking in frustration.

I could hear Eric screaming my name in anguish. His cries were muffled by bubbles until all I hear was a faint party music resonating from the bottom of the sea.

_You dream about going up there_  
_But that is a big mistake_  
_Just look at the world around you_  
_Right here on the ocean floor_  
_Such wonderful things surround you_  
_What more is you lookin' for?_

_Under the sea…_  
_Under the sea…_

I was finally home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is also available in slideshow format: https://commaful.com/play/ellepellano/the-sea


	2. Under the Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A man reveals the secret of his transformation under the full moon

It's that time of the month again.

I walked fast and kept my head low until I reached that part of the park that had busted lamp posts. The city government did not bother replacing them due to the park's low foot traffic. The place was rarely maintained so the bushes had grown thicker and the trees had intertwined their branches in protest.

It was the perfect hiding spot for me especially for this occasion. People avoided this area for fear of being robbed or assaulted in the dark. I was not one of those people.

I sat down on one of the surviving wooden benches and stared at the full moon above. It had a dim yellow hue like it was pretending to be a dull sun. Regardless of the color, it still had the same effect on me.

I felt vulnerable.

All those stories about my race turning into vicious creatures of the night were overblown rumors from people who had seen our true forms.

We had always been hairy and wolfish but people saw us like normal human beings except once a month when the full moon rises and gives random people the gift of clarity. Sometimes it's temporary. Sometimes it lasts a lifetime.

The first person I encountered who received the moon's gift was an elderly neighbor. She was waiting for her granddaughter to visit around lunch time that day but the girl was a no show. Apparently, her grandchild had a habit of standing her up or arriving extremely late. I offered to eat lunch with her so as not to waste the meal she had prepared. I only intended to stay for an hour or two but the old woman was very endearing. We chatted for hours about her family and her escapades during her youth. We did not notice how much time had passed and when we finally said our goodbye, the full moon was beginning to rise on the horizon.

My young and reckless self didn't think it would be a cause for concern. There's no way the moon would grant the gift of sight to someone already at the prime of her life. Yet the world always had a way of fucking you up. The moment the moonlight shone upon my face, my new found friend began to scream in terror as my true form was suddenly revealed to her. Another neighbor called the police thinking I was harassing the poor old lady but after hearing both our sides, they let me go and advised the elderly woman's relatives to have her checked. I found out later that doctors had diagnosed her with dementia.

I was shattered because I knew better.

The moon's gift is a curse for both my race and the recipient. Humans tend to become frightened if they see something beyond what they can comprehend so they invent stories to satisfy their need for answers. That's why I resulted to hiding once a month.

Because under the moonlight, I am nothing but a monster to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is also available in slideshow format: https://commaful.com/play/ellepellano/under-the-moonlight/


	3. The Purple Planet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A woman finds a new planet in one of her trips out of Earth, and discovers something from her visit.

I was staring at the sky one night

When I saw a big bright star.

It shone from behind the clouds

And I thought it doesn't seem too far.

So I jumped up and down

To get me in the mood.

It's been long since I've done this.

Now, I'm not sure if I could.

But when I was about to give up,

My body started to float.

Up, up and away I go,

There's no more time to gloat.

I went past the moon,

Zoomed from Mars until Pluto.

Then saw a big purple planet

which I approached with much gusto.

As I descended into the place,

I saw something familiar.

It was an Earth-like rain forest.

It doesn't really look peculiar.

While hovering above the trees,

I saw a hole in the ground.

I dove into it without hesitation.

And heard a windy sound.

The tunnel had an exit.

It felt cold on the other side.

When I finally popped out of it,

I think I almost cried.

Moments ago I was undergound.

But now, I'm falling from the sky.

I quickly flapped my arms and legs

Then remembered that I could fly.

I steadied myself

And shook the jitters away.

I looked down below

And everything was gray.

I saw a big industrialized city

Floating in the water.

Then some people saw me gliding,

A father and his young daughter.

They waved at me from below.

Then I heard the father say,

"Someday, you'll be able to do that, too."

"But I hope there's another way."

I smiled at them and left.

I shot up to the sky and back.

I realized that it was my old home that I visited.

It was purely from luck.

Because when people like me learn to fly,

We must leave our planet behind

To search for other places to protect,

A new home to find.

Once we settled in a new place,

We tend to forget everything.

Our past memories do not last.

The purple planet becomes nothing.

So I am looking forward to that day

When I would be staying for good

In the comforts of my real home.

For as long as I could.

This poem is also available in slideshow format: <https://commaful.com/play/ellepellano/the-purple-planet/>


	4. The New Messiah

"What did you call yourself again?"

I could feel the vodka burning its way down my throat but the sensation wasn't enough to mess with my hearing. The man in front of me chuckled and sipped his beer like it was diet coke. I did not know this guy but I was too self-absorbed to care. He just sat down by my table without asking for permission as if he was a long time buddy. He introduced himself but I wasn't interested enough to listen. He did not even belong to my crowd. Long hair. Three nose rings. Tongue piercing. Inverted cross tattoo on the forehead. Torn blue jeans. Shirt that says, "F*ck You!"

Young women from the next table kept looking at him and giggling as if he was the most good-looking man in the bar. I felt so betrayed. I am an architect. Decent, well-groomed, formal, pleasing to the eyes. Yet, there was this guy who did not care enough to put on deodorant but was still attractive to girls while my pathetic self couldn't even keep the love of my life from leaving. My pathetic drunk self couldn't even have himself promoted despite being in the goddamn company for ten years. My pathetic drunk heartbroken self couldn't even save enough to start a family with Erin. My dearest Erin... I missed her so much. Life's not fair. Earlier I had wanted to jump from our office tower but instead of having my insides spill out on the pavement, I am burning them now with alcohol and drowning myself in an ear-splitting scream disguising itself as music.

The man hummed as if there's enough lyrics to that ugly song.

"I am the new Messiah" he replied to me when the song had ended.

"Oh I know who you are. You're the lead vocalist of that famous band." If I had a teenage sibling I might have asked him to sign my tie. It's not everyday that you meet someone famous much less share a table with him until you get wasted. Thank God I don't have any sibling and thank God I don't need to act pleasant today. "Your music sucks."

"Thank you!"

His smile looked genuine though I would like to think he was being sarcastic. I felt a little guilty. I was never an asshole by the way.

"That's the name of your band, The New Messiah. You're Emmanuel Kahn."

"Got that right brodah! Just call me E-man."

"What are you doing in this cheap bar Mr. Kahn?" I refused to address him in that stupid name that sounds like email.

"Just looking around. Checking out on suicidal folks determined enough to try jumping off the highest building in this metropolis."

I felt my cheeks heat up. Did he saw me struggling to climb over the railing and back down the last minute? "That's none of your business He-Man. People can do whatever they want with their lives."

"Oh but it is. I was born to save people."

I rolled my eyes. Somebody seemed to be on a cocaine diet. "Save yourself some time by minding your own life."

"I wish I could but my Father would take away my music if I don't do my job."

Now this is a good scoop. The charismatic Emmanuel Kahn had father issues. At least we had a common ground. "I don't care what your father will do. You are a grown man. You should not let yourself be dictated by anyone."

"You think so? That's a good advice brodah. Then I would just let Him punish the world for worshipping smartphones and the internet."

He stood up feeling obviously elated and shouted to the bartender. "This guy's drinks are on me, Jimmy. Just charged it to my plastic."

Then he turned to me and said, "Hey, thirty days from now the seas will rise and flood the earth. If you want to live, go get yourself a big boat brodah."

He raised his beer mug to me and finished it off in one gulp. He waved goodbye and left humming his ugly song.

"See you in the new Earth, Mr. Noah Finke."

Weird conversation. Weird guy. He did not even look like an advocate of global warming. Big boats. New Earth. New Messiah. Crazy.

Wait, how the heck did he know my name?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is also available in slideshow format: https://commaful.com/play/ellepellano/the-new-messiah/


End file.
